Killzone 2 - EG Expo Preview

By Paul Davies

Gamers, in general, are not known for being a particularly forgiving bunch. When Sony first decided to show off Killzone 2, one of the shiniest jewels in the then-unreleased PS3’s crown at E3 2005, they decided not to show any raw, direct gameplay footage, instead opting to show a pre-rendered video. Insisting it was a ‘target render’, Sony promised that the Netherlands-based development team at Guerilla studios would be able to make the final, playable product look just as good in real-time. It would prove to be a pretty terrible PR blunder. Gamers scoffed at the arrogance of a company essentially expecting consumers to accept totally unsubstantiated claims about the power of their upcoming console, and the press at large were totally unimpressed with visuals that, while stunning, gave absolutely no indication of the nature or feel of the game.

The only thing is, it’s pretty much mission accomplished, target achieved. Killzone 2 looks incredible. After hands-on time with a pre-beta build it’s already apparent that, barring the shock emergence some other multi-million dollar title that’s somehow escaped the notice of the gaming press, Killzone 2 will almost certainly be the best-looking console shooter to date come its release in early 2009.

Picking up soon after where Killzone 1 left off, Killzone 2 sees the ISA taking the fight to the front door of the Helghast army, the aggressors from the last game. The demo opened with a stunning beach landing sequence, that I was genuinely shocked to find out was real-time. The action then moved into a stunningly lit interior for a warehouse firefight, followed by a section defending a convoy, before finishing up with a massive pitched battle against an impressively numerous horde of Helghast aggressors, giving the player the opportunity to either commandeer a tank or flank the enemies through a nearby tunnel network. The whole experience feels weighty and immersive, with impressive use of motion-blur and depth-of-field focus effects. On a technical level Killzone 2 is pretty much faultless, and if the demo is any indication, should provide a fantastically well-executed (and did I mention fantastic-looking?) modern FPS romp, with visuals that finally back up Sony’s claims that, when catered to properly, the PS3 can push pixels like no other console before it.

Of course, that could prove to be as much of a hindrance as a boon to the game. In terms of gameplay and structure, everything about Killzone 2 feels fairly rote and workmanlike. Veterans of any of the modern FPS conflicts of recent years will find little to bamboozle them here, presented as they will be with the now-standard sprint/melee/iron-sights/grenade control setup, as well as the ‘recharging health’ dynamic that’s almost become as comfortable as a safety blanket. All the weapons encountered in the demo followed the fairly standard FPS tropes. Assault rifle? Check. Rifle? Check. Bazooka? Check. Magnum rip-off for players who want to get their Dirty Harry on? Check. There’s even an implementation of the now de-rigeur ‘cover system’, with a push of L2 snapping the player onto the nearest available surface, allowing them to peek over and around obstacles without exposing too much of their supple flesh to pointy enemy bullets. Barring the inclusion of some slightly underwhelming sixasis elements (one minigame involved tilting the pad to turn a wheel switch), it’s pretty much been there, shot that.

What’s undeniable is that the whole affair is executed with some serious style and aplomb, and it’s impossible ignore to impact the effect the visuals have on the experience. Graphics alone may not make a game, but when they’re this good, the resulting immersion-factor is hard to resist. The only worry is that war-weary gamers won’t be able to stomach another testosterone-drenched FPS. Hopefully by early 2009 our shell-shock will have subsided and we’ll be ready to re-enter the fray.